Manufacture of nitrocellulose smokeless powder



Patented May 14, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALAN SPENCER HAWKESWOIRLIJH, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

MANUFACTURE OF NITROCELLULOSE SMOKELESS POWDER.

No Drawing.

In the current method of manufacturing nitro-cellulose powder, afternitration, it is most thoroughly washed inclean water, to

utterly eliminate the very dangerous free nitric acid. And is thentreated with alcohol or ether. Which first acts as a dryer, absorbingthe superfluous moisture. And secondly acts as a solvent, makingpossible the moulding of the dried and dissolved nitro-cellulose intothe desired shapes of the finished powder grain. Also, during thisprocess, there is further incorporated about four-tenths of one per centof some greasy stabilizer whose ofiice is to both water-proof the powderparticles against disintegrating moisture.

mg always determined by the stifiness of the final 'aste, which shouldbe as stifi as is compatib c with the moulding of the completed.

powder grain. And thestated mononitrotoluene solvent, after initiallydriving off the superfluous water, furthermost efliciently fills theoflice ofthe needed-stabilizer, previously 'occu ied by the paraflin, orsome greasy nitrocar on, or similar substance. And being still moreintimately incorporated, as solvent, than an greasy substance afterwardsadded, it far etter preserves the finished powder particles, both fromsudden shocks, and from dampness. Which dampness, by setting upprogressive disintegration, leads to an increasing instability. While,on the other hand, the intimate molecular greasing, also prevents theold, long stored powder becoming so hard and horn-like, that it isincreasingly liable to premature explosion through static electricalsparking, through friction against its companion powder grains Both thedisintegrating moisture, and its opposite, the drying to a hardhorn-like substance, making the finished powder increasingly dangerousto handle, or even to store, and ever progressively unfitted for use.

And this employment of mononitrotoluene,

Application filed June 11,

1928. Serial No. 284,676.

as dryer, solvent, and stabilizer, all in one,

not only gives greater safety, stability, and

good keeping qualities, but also makes a far more eflicient powder sincewhen the present dryer and solvent, alcohol or ether, and

the present stabilizer are employed, there remains but about 84% activeexplosive. And of this about 6% must' be employed in gasifying thesolvent and stabilizer, when the owder is fired in the gun. Giving us,thereore, but about 88% of the powder doing its actual work.

Butmononitrotoluene is itself a very powerful, although very safeexplosive and the smokeless powder inv which it is incorporated asdryer, solvent, and stabilizer, has thus no inert ingredients, but is100% eflicient and yet it is at the same time entirely safe for whentri-nitro-toluene (T. N. T.) is manufactured, it is usually in threestages. First as mono-, then as di-, and finally as tri-nitrotoluene.And even in this final'thrice nitrated and most explosive stage it isquite safe to handle so that the first-and weakest stage ofmono-nitro-toluene is entirely safe.

It is also very cheap; and easily obtainable in any desired uantities,and with any desir'ed secrecy.

ince the smokeless. powder.

manufacturers will certainly also be making T. N. T. j And can thuseasily switch over some of the toluene in its first nitration.

Another veryval'uable feature is that no new machiner or upset of thepresent routine is deman ed. In place of the expensive alcohol andether, and the subsequent. imperfeet incorporation of some stabilizer,you simply use the cheap and abundant mononitrottloluene, and alloperations are comp ete -While one great advantage that should not beoverlooked is the total elimination of those innumerable vexations andharassments that ever attend the employment of alcohol or ether,especially when these are needed in vast quantities.

I claim: 1

p 1. A nitrocellulose smokeless powder comprising mononitrotoluene as asolvent and stabilizer.

2. In the manufacture of nitrocellulose smokeless powder the step ofsimultaneously drying, dissolving, and stabilizing the nitrocellulose bymeans of mononitrotoluene.

